If Dawn Never Comes: Chapter One

                                          (TW: Mentions of death and birth)

The silver-speckled tom paced, his tail lashing. An agonized wail came from the nursery, and he grimaced. He shuddered and shook his snowy fur. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his rising panic. His mate had been kitting since just before sundown, and it was well past moon-down.  She was okay...right?

The tom turned, hearing a soft pawstep behind him. He was met with the tired blue eyes of Curl`Paw, his apprentice. "Curl`Paw? Why are you up? Did you need something?" he asked, taking note of her ruffled fur and sleepy eyes.

"I...I just thought...you'd like some company. With Sparrow`Seeker kitting and all..." she shifted her paws, shyly. 

The tom sighed, and sat down, tail anxiously flicking. "I'm...I'm just worried about her. I'm not sure if-"

Another screech sounded from the nursery, and the tom's fur stood on end, his claws sinking into the ground. His silky-furred apprentice sat next to him, and started to groom his shoulder as if she were his mother-cat. The tom relaxed slightly, and his claws slowly sheathed. "It's okay...Feather`Nose. Stone`Jaw won't let anything happen to Sparrow`Seeker, I promise." she whispered, resting her tail across his flank. 

Feather`Nose's eyes glimmered with emotion. "You're so much like your mother, Curl'Paw." Curl`Paw's mother, Whisper`Wish, had gone out on a patrol recently...and she never came back. Her body was never found, and poor Curl`Paw grieved for a moon, refusing to hunt or train. It was a hard blow for her and Yarrow`Paw, her brother. Curl`Paw purred softly but didn't reply. She continued to groom his fur. "I miss her too, Curl`Paw. But I'll always be there for you, even if Wind`Runner isn't."

Curl`Paw pulled back, eyes glimmering with emotion. "Thank you. You know, you're more of a father to me than Wind`Runner is to me. Whisper`Wish is always with me, even if I can't see her." 

Feather`Nose nuzzled his apprentice's silky fur. "You are my sister's kit, after all. I'm always here for you, Curl`Paw." 

The silver molly rested her head on Feather`Nose's flank, sighing. She closed her eyes and purred softly. Just then, a rustle from the nursery caused him to look up. Sorrel`Paw, the mute medicine apprentice, waved him forward with her tail. Curl`Paw stood up, giving her uncle one last nudge, before padding back to her nest.

The tom bounded forward, "Is she okay? Are the kits here?" 

The cream molly nodded, and blinked her wide blue eyes. She was born mute, but her eyes were very expressive.

 "May I go see her?" Feather`Nose asked, paws trembling. The molly nodded again, standing aside.

The tom raced into the nursery, and what he saw took his breath away. His beautiful mate, Sparrow`Seeker, and two tiny kits burrowed into her belly fur. He choked out a sob and nuzzled his mate. "Oh...Sparrow....they are gorgeous.... perfect." 

His mate smiled and licked his cheek. "I've named the grey one." she nuzzled the larger of the kits, a light grey tom with unusual darker grey rosettes. "His name shall be Ashen`Kit." 

Feather`Nose purred, licking his son's damp fur. "I love it. And the white one?" the other kit was a copy of his father, white with silver speckles like snowflakes on his back. Snowflakes! "How about...Snow`Kit?" he suggested.

Sparrow`Seeker nodded. "Snow`Kit and Ashen`Kit." her voice became taut. "And... little ...Light`Kit." she looked over at a small, tiny bundle of brown and white fur, laying on a large leaf. "She took her first and last breath in my paws..." 

Feather`Nose's breath caught in his throat. "Oh..." he padded over to his daughter and pressed his nose to her fur. "I'm sorry, Light`Kit, that you'll never run under the trees, or feel the thrill of battle. But, one day, I'll see you again. Say hello to Whisper`Wish for me, okay?" 

He stepped back, and settled down next to Sparrow`Seeker. A soft, raspy voice came from the shadowy corner of the den. "Feather`Nose. You need to let Sparrow`Seeker rest. She's had a hard birth, and she needs sleep." 

Feather`Nose raised his head; it was Night`Stripe, the scarred queen. Sparrow`Seeker shot a grateful glance at the black-striped queen, and the other she-cat nodded. 

"Come now, Feather`Nose. I'll walk you to your den." a gruff voice mewed. Stone`Jaw. The grey tom's eyes darted over to Night`Stripe, and they softened for a second. He shook himself, and picked up the herb bundle, wrapping Light`Kit in it as well.

Feather`Nose followed the medicine cat out of the den, and into the camp clearing. The medicine cat set down the dead kit, and nosed her head. "May Starclan look upon this kit with kindness..." he murmured, before padding towards the warriors den. He halted, and nodded towards Feather`Nose. "Go on. Sleep well." he turned and padded away.

Feather`Nose blinked, and sighed, stepping into the den. He stepped over Wolf`Song's tail, padded around Ant`Dust's sprawled hinds, hopped over Burn`Foot's sleeping form, and walked to his nest, nosing Flame`Leap's tail out of it. He turned a circle and laid down, slipping into sleep.